London annual energy usage

Zack Polanski: Could you provide details of the annual energy usage of London, broken down by fuel type, and could you outline the steps you are taking as Mayor to reduce London’s overall demand for energy?

The Mayor: The GLA publishes London’s emissions and energy use data annually in our London energy and greenhouse gas emissions inventory (‘LEGGI’). The latest available data for energy use is from 2018:
Buildings:
Electricity – 37,800 GWh
Gas – 60,019 GWh
Coal – 175 GWh
Oil – 2,392 GWh
Waste and renewables – 1,549 GWh
Transport:
Fossil fuels – 32,202 GWh
Electricity – 0.02 GWh
London’s energy demand decreased by 18 per cent between 2000 and 2018. But to ensure London is net zero carbon city by 2030 energy demand must be reduced further. My London Plan ensures that new buildings are highly energy efficient. My Retrofit Accelerator programmes, as well as the renewed Warmer Homes scheme, are tackling London’s energy-inefficient buildings to create warm, affordable and ultra-low carbon homes. Through my Healthy Streets programme, I aim to decrease vehicle use and promote walking, cycling and use of public transport. Under my Accelerated Green pathway to achieve a net zero carbon city, other policies and measures such as the roll out of heat pumps and road user charging are being considered. The fuel costs of powering and heating our buildings and running our cars and transport systems currently costs London around £11.1 billion per year. By 2030 that cost could be £6.2 billion or 44 per cent less if we invest in the infrastructure to reduce our energy demand.
The next version of the LEGGI data is expected to be published in June 2022.

Gig Economy Charter (2)

Andrew Boff: What is the proposed scope of the "charter of best practice for on-demand workers" that you intend to introduce?

The Mayor: My proposed charter for good work in the gig economy will build on the principles of my Good Work Standard, modelling best practice in pay, conditions, workplace wellbeing, skills, diversity and recruitment.
The charter will set out the scope of organisations to which it refers. The general principle will be that the charter is relevant to those Londoners whose work is assigned by an online-app or through an ‘on-demand’ model.
Research and engagement so far have focused on businesses in private hire, delivery, courier and cleaning industries, with worker research also covering aspects of social care, translation, design and one-off tasks. The charter will also recognise that new operating models may emerge that present further challenges.

Westminster Bus Routes

Tony Devenish: With regard to all bus routes that stop at least once in Westminster, will you provide me with a complete list of all frequency changes and route changes since 1st May 2021?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has implemented and proposed 52 service changes for routes that operate in the City of Westminster area since 1 May 2021, including proposed changes up to and including 21 May 2022. These include a combination of frequency reductions and increases, re-routings, curtailments and extensions.
The changes include re-routings due to Westminster City Council’s Strand Aldwych project, which involved the closure of Strand to all vehicles between Australia House and Waterloo Bridge; this affected multiple routes.
Further details on these service changes are provided in the attached Microsoft Excel spreadsheet file.
Permanent bus changes are all noted on TfL’s webpage : https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/buses/bus-changes

The Mayor: 1692 City of Westminster Bus Routes - Attachment.xlsx

Hammersmith & Fulham Bus Routes

Tony Devenish: With regard to all bus routes that stop at least once in Hammersmith & Fulham, will you provide me with a complete list of all frequency changes and route changes since 1st May 2021?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has implemented and proposed 18 permanent or long term service changes for routes that operate in the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham since 1 May 2021, including proposed changes up to and including 21 May 2022. These include a combination of frequency reductions, re-routings and curtailments, some of which relate to the reopening of Hammersmith Bridge to pedestrians and cyclists and some arising from conditions set out by Government in the latest round of funding negotiations.
Further details on these service changes are provided in the attached Microsoft Excel spreadsheet file.
Permanent bus changes are all noted on TfL’s webpage : https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/buses/bus-changes

The Mayor: 1693 Hammersmith & Fulham Bus Routes - Attachment.xlsx

Earl's Court Road Bus Build-outs

Tony Devenish: The bus build-outs on Earl’s Court Road are unpopular with local residents. Which TfL officer has made the decision to keep them and with whom should the Council best engage to discuss their removal?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) undertook a consultation in August 2021 to understand public views of the bus build-outs on Earls Court Road and whether these should be made permanent. Following careful consideration of the consultation responses and the monitoring and analysis of traffic flow data, TfL decided to make the build-outs a permanent feature. This infrastructure helps support the bus network as well as providing more space for pedestrians. TfL’s Local Communities & Partnerships team is in regular contact with the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and would be happy to discuss the build-outs at any time.

Kensington & Chelsea Bus Routes

Tony Devenish: With regard to all bus routes that stop at least once in Kensington & Chelsea, will you provide me with a complete list of all frequency changes and route changes since 1st May 2021?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has implemented and proposed 19 permanent service changes for routes that serve the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea area since 1 May 2021, including proposed changes up to and including 21 May 2022. These include a combination of frequency changes, re-routings and curtailments arising from conditions set out by Government in the latest round of funding negotiations.
Further details on these service changes are provided in the attached Microsoft Excel spreadsheet file.
Permanent bus changes are all noted on TfL’s webpage : https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/buses/bus-changes

The Mayor: 1694 Kensington & Chelsea Bus Routes - Attachment.xlsx

Air Quality Alerts

Hina Bokhari: How many people are currently signed up to the free airTEXT air quality alerts?

The Mayor: airTEXT is an independent service, partly funded by the boroughs and operated by Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants Ltd.
As of May 2022, airTEXT has 18,760 active primary channel subscribers. This includes email, text and voicemail services. The total number of all active subscribers, including Twitter, is 21,525 people. 74% of subscribers receive alerts by SMS text.
The primary way that I inform people about pollution incidents is through my alert system that reaches millions of Londoners via on street communications infrastructure such as bus stop countdown signs, social media and direct contact with schools and key partners. I have instituted a review to enhance the reach of this system even further and to consider how airTEXT could be better integrated into the existing alert system.

Freedom Pass Usage Before 9am (2)

Keith Prince: Do you have any plans to restore the use of the Freedom Pass before 9am?

The Mayor: Transport for London is currently undertaking a review of the current restrictions, taking into account both the equalities impacts and the foregone income associated with providing free travel before 9am.

Wider South East Collaboration (3)

Sakina Sheikh: What is the impact of collaborating with the Wider South East when it comes to housebuilding?

The Mayor: The regional organisations representing authorities in the wider south east recognise that our economies and housing markets are linked and that the delivery of infrastructure is vital to support homes and jobs. This relies on practical cooperation - many forms of infrastructure are not confined by administrative boundaries, for example water supply. By collaborating together we are keen to make a strong case to Government for the crucial infrastructure investment that our regions collectively need to support housing growth.

Increasing vehicle kilometres at the Blackwall Tunnel

Siân Berry: In papers prepared for the Silvertown Tunnel Implementation Group (STIG) on 27 January 2022, modelling illustrates an increase in demand for total vehicle kilometres of 5 per cent by 2025 at the Blackwall Tunnel and approaches. Since this increase conflicts with your goal to cut vehicle kilometres in London by 27 per cent from 2018 levels by 2030, what steps are you taking to stop and reverse this traffic increase before 2025, when the Silvertown Road Tunnel is due to open?
https://content.tfl.gov.uk/stig-presentation-270122.pdf

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) is committed as part of the Silvertown Tunnel scheme to effectively managing traffic levels and congestion at this key river crossing. This will be done principally through the introduction of road user charging on the Silvertown and Blackwall Tunnels, as well as through the provision of new cross river bus services to support more trips by public transport. The modelling data you reference is an important consideration in this work, and I am pleased to see good progress from TfL on reassessing traffic to ensure this scheme works effectively.
To clarify, the quoted 5 per cent increase in vehicle kilometres is for travel across the host boroughs (Greenwich, Newham and Tower Hamlets), not the Blackwall tunnel or its approach roads specifically, and reflects forecast growth in population and employment in this part of London. TfL estimates that only a fifth of these additional journeys will be undertaken by car, with most new journeys being made by sustainable modes. This modelled outcome is for the new reference case, i.e. the “without scheme” scenario against which TfL compares the “assessed case” scenario in which the scheme is implemented.
This forecast also only accounts for schemes that were committed and funded at the time of the modelling work. It does not include, for example, my recently announced plans for TfL to consult on expanding the Ultra Low Emission Zone to outer London in 2023 and to explore the potential for a new form of road user charging system later this decade.
I accept there is more to do and will continue to take action to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport wherever possible, in line with the objectives of my Transport Strategy.

Age Diverse Staff

Tony Devenish: What actions are you taking to promote the benefits of employers hiring older workers and having an age diverse staff across London? How are you leading on this within the GLA?

The Mayor: My Academies Programme, launched earlier this year in London’s growth sectors, has also identified older Londoners as a priority group.
In terms of the GLA, our recruitment approach and HR policies are designed to be inclusive and to ensure our workforce reflects London's diversity at all levels in terms of age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability. We monitor recruitment by age at application, shortlist and appointment stages, and also monitor and report on the age profile of our workforce in the workforce report. Policies such as the recently introduced Menopause Policy support our aims to have an age diverse staff.

The Mayor: As part of the new No Wrong Door initiative I have invested in four employment and skills integration hubs, located across London’s sub-regions. These will coordinate employment and skills provision to better support Londoners to access the right services to move into good work. Two of the sub-regional partnerships, West London Alliance and Local London, are focused on supporting Londoners over 50 (alongside young Londoners under 25). These two integration hubs collectively span fifteen boroughs across the West, North and East of the capital.
My Academies Programme, launched earlier this year in London’s growth sectors, has also identified older Londoners as a priority group. Each Academy is formed by employer and training provider ‘hub’ partnerships, delivering high quality training, work experience and employment opportunities to support priority groups into good jobs.
In terms of the GLA, our recruitment approach and HR policies are designed to be inclusive and to ensure our workforce reflects London's diversity at all levels in terms of age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability. We monitor recruitment by age at application, shortlist and appointment stages, and also monitor and report on the age profile of our workforce in the workforce report. Policies such as the recently introduced Menopause Policy support our aims to have an age diverse staff.

Economic Recovery Implementation Plan

Marina Ahmad: How often will your Economic Recovery Implementation Plan be reviewed and adjusted?

The Mayor: The Economic Recovery Implementation Plan sets out how the Greater London Authority (GLA) Group and family are driving action to help London’s economy grow back stronger, greener and fairer, building on a common framework agreed with London Councils and boroughs.
The Plan is an open, web-based document which will continue to evolve and adapt as we develop new programmes to respond to emerging economic and social challenges.
My officers expect to review the Plan every six months, with changes to be overseen by key members of my team and published at https://www.london.gov.uk/coronavirus/londons-recovery-coronavirus-crisis/recovery-context/economic-recovery-framework-london.

Celebrations in Trafalgar Square

Marina Ahmad: Now that celebrations have returned to Trafalgar Square, what has been the economic impact of their absence?

The Mayor: I am delighted that we are seeing a return of our vibrant events programme – not only are they a fantastic way to bring Londoners together, but they also stimulate London’s economy and showcase London on an international stage. In 2021, a report byprofessional servicesfirm Hatchand promotion agency London & Partners revealed that major events contribute over £600m, on average, to the capital’s economy every year and can be a huge catalyst towards London’s recovery from the pandemic. The report estimated that every visitor to a concert and cultural event generated on average £23 to the London economy.
Based on this figure, the absence of events on Trafalgar Square alone over the last 2 years, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, amounts to a loss of over £12m to the local economy

PHV Operators (1)

Andrew Boff: What has TfL done to assist PHV operators understand its expectations of them further to the ruling in the UTAG vs Uber case in December 2021?

The Mayor: The Court’s judgment is clear that in order to operate lawfully under the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 a licensed operator who accepts a booking from a passenger is required to enter into a contractual obligation with the passenger to provide the journey which is the subject of the booking.
It is the responsibility of all London private hire vehicle (PHV) operators to familiarise themselves with the judgment and to ensure they are compliant with it.
On the day the Court handed down its judgment (6 December 2021), Transport for London (TfL) immediately published a TPH Notice. The Notice provided a link to the judgment and also made London PHV operators aware that they would need to take steps to ensure that they comply with it, including considering whether any changes to their contractual terms and operational processes were required. TfL subsequently published three more TPH Notices (22/21, 04/22 and 06/22) which reiterate that PHV operators must ensure they are compliant with the Court’s judgment and if needed, make immediate changes to their contractual terms and ways of working to ensure compliance.
In addition, TfL has prescribed a licence condition to ensure all London PHV operators are aware of their obligations and responsibilities and published guidance to assist London PHV operators consider whether their contractual terms and ways of working need to be changed to ensure they are compliant.
TfL has contacted the largest operators as well as new applicants and those with imminent licence renewals since the Court’s judgment, as a first tranche, and has amended its application packs to ensure that all PHV operators applying for, and renewing, a licence are aware of their obligations.
TfL has also discussed this with trade representatives in its regular meetings and continues to liaise with individual operators who have any concerns or enquiries relating to their compliance.

Lifetime neighbourhoods

Tony Devenish: Will you ensure that the concept of Lifetime Neighbourhoods is restored to the London Plan, including designating local assets and infrastructure for protection, as recommended in the Just Space Recovery Plan?

The Mayor: My London Plan supports a London for everyone. The important aspects of Lifetime Neighbourhoods set out in the Just Space Recovery Plan are detailed in my London Plan, mainly through the requirement for inclusive neighbourhoods. These are neighbourhoods which are accessible, welcoming and barrier free for everyone, enabling people to travel easily by public transport, walking and cycling. Please see the Mayor’s question 2017-2943 for further detail.
Moreover, the Plan requires resident engagement and involvement at an early stage and on an ongoing basis, which I understand is an important part of the concept of Lifetime Neighbourhoods in the Just Space Recovery Plan. Policy D5 Inclusive design, for example, requires development proposals to submit inclusive design statements, which should detail engagement with groups such as older and disabled people. Policy H8 also requires that relevant proposals on estate regeneration take account of requirements, such as a residents ballot.
It is also a key aim of the Plan to protect and promote local assets and spaces that are valued by communities, including cultural venues and community facilities.
My team will continue to work with community organisations, such as Just Space, including as part of the Planning for London programme and in producing London Plan Guidance.

PHV Operators (3)

Andrew Boff: After a PHV operator licence has been granted, does TfL share the full detail of its evaluation with that PHV operator? If not, why not?

The Mayor: As the regulatory and licensing body for taxi and private hire services in London, Transport for London (TfL) is open, transparent and consistent in its decision making. Individual licensees have legal recourse to appeal against a decision that is made by TfL should they choose to.

PHV Operators (2)

Andrew Boff: When does TfL plan to publish guidance for PHV operators to help them understand the expectations the licensing authority has of them, further to the ruling in the UTAG vs Uber case in December 2021?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has already published TPH Notices and guidance to assist London PHV operators to consider whether their contractual terms and operational processes need to be changed to ensure they are compliant.
TfL has also prescribed a licence condition to ensure all London PHV operators are aware of their obligations and responsibilities.

Metropolitan line Delays (2)

Susan Hall: If Metropolitan line delays were caused by the wrong calibration on the lathes by the manufacturer, what recompense is TfL pursuing?

The Mayor: Please see my response to Mayor’s Question 2022/1666. Transport for London will determine the appropriate course of action following the outcome of the formal investigation into the root cause of the wheel issues identified.

Metropolitan line Delays (1)

Susan Hall: Is it the case that Metropolitan line delays have been caused by the wrong calibration on the lathes by the manufacturer, making the wheels too small to run?

The Mayor: Routine checks to the Metropolitan line fleet identified an issue with some wheelsets on the trains. The wheels identified were not too small to run on the tracks, but presented issues which meant the affected trains had to be removed from service whilst remedial works were carried out. The root cause of the issues identified will be subject to a formal investigation.

Talk London Costs

Susan Hall: Further to my question 2021/4948 which remains unanswered, please can you provide updated figures for how much you have spent on “Talk London” since the start of your mayoralty? Please give a breakdown by year and project.

The Mayor: The response to the Talk London Cost question 2021/4948 has been published and is available here.
The Talk London budget is spent on website improvements and audience growth as outlined in the decision forms provided in MQ2021/4948. This is a centrally provided service available to the GLA and London Assembly at no additional charge.

Tourism Trip to America Costs

Neil Garratt: What was the total cost of your 5 day trip to the US to promote tourism to London? Please provide a breakdown of costs, including for yourself and any GLA staff and specify where the funding came from, i.e. public money or external funding.

The Mayor: My visit to New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Los Angeles in May 2022 is my first international visit since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Banging the drum for London in key international markets is a core part of my work to secure the economic and social recovery of London. As with previous international visits, I am fully committed to keeping costs to a minimum and maximising value for money. The total cost for this visit will be calculated once my team has received and processed each invoice, which will happen over the next few weeks. Once this process is complete, I will be able to provide the total cost of the visit.

MSG Sphere

Sakina Sheikh: What are the next steps for the MSG Sphere post LLDC approval of the planning application?

The Mayor: The independent Planning Decisions Committee (PDC) approved the full planning permission for the MSG Sphere, subject to conditions and a s106 legal agreement securing a wide range of mitigations on 22 March 2022. The Committee also resolved to grant advertisement consent subject to agreement of further additions to the proposed s106 legal agreement, which will need to be reported back to the PDC for approval. LLDC’s Planning Decision Team will progress the s106 legal agreement with the applicant and other signatories until it is substantially complete. It is at that point that it will be referred for my stage 2 decision. When it is referred I can either direct refusal or let LLDC approve the application - as it is within the LLDC’s remit it is not eligible for Mayoral call in.

Insurance provision in London

Zack Polanski: How many Londoners currently lack insurance for: a) loss of building contents, b) damage to buildings, and c) business continuity? Could you provide figures in an accessible table format.

The Mayor: Table for MQ 2022-1311.xlsx

Tourism Trip to America Targets

Neil Garratt: What targets did you set for your 5 day trip to the US to promote tourism to London?

The Mayor: The launch of my Let’s Do London tourism campaign in New York was a fantastic promotional opportunity, which helped increase the campaign’s reach. It was of course just one aspect of my trip to the United States to bang the drum for London there.
There were no formal targets set for the launch of Let’s Do London in the US. However, London & Partners, who are leading the international tourism campaign, expect the campaign to reach over 43 million Americans via video on demand, YouTube, social media, display and out-of-home advertising.
The international Let’s Do London campaign will also calculate additional UK and international visitors to London and total visitor value to the London economy based on expenditure by additional international visitors.
London & Partners also expect a return on investment of 10:1 for the Let’s Do London international campaign. This is benchmarked against Visit Britain’s return on investment, which is also 10:1.

Helicopters 2

Tony Devenish: For each financial year 2018/19, 2019/20 2020/21 and 2021/22 how many hours were police helicopters used over London?

The Mayor: Please find below the number of hours police helicopters were used over London, broken down by financial year:
2018/19 – 2,162 flying hours
2019/20 – 2,355 flying hours
2020/21 – 2,314 flying hours
2021/22 – 2,273 flying hours

Spikes in Homophobic Hate Crimes in London

Unmesh Desai: What analysis has the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime and/or the Metropolitan Police Service conducted to investigate the regular spikes in homophobic hate crime in the summer months? If no analysis has yet been conducted, will you commit to doing so?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) uses all available intelligence to identify hotspots for all crime types to inform how best to use its resources. However, there are challenges in undertaking the kind of analysis you suggest, primarily due to the fact that the only way that LGBT+ targeted hate crimes can be identified on the MPS crime recording system, is if the appropriate flag is attached to the entry. The circumstances of each crime would then need to be examined individually.
As an alternative approach to keeping LGBT+ Londoners safe in the summer and beyond, MOPAC is convening a roundtable meeting, bringing together local police, Local Authority community safety officers and LGBT+ community representatives, including the owners and managers of LGBT+ venues. The meeting will initially focus on the three boroughs that reported the highest rates of LGBT+ hate crime last year. It will explore local solutions and seek to reassure those communities that the MPS and I take LGBT+ hate crime very seriously.

Gas leak incident at the London Aquatics Centre

Caroline Pidgeon: Can you confirm if the London Legacy Development Corporation is undertaking an investigation into the chlorine gas leak at the London Aquatics Centre on 23 March, to ensure any lessons are learnt and will you ensure LLDC publishes any investigation and its findings in full?

The Mayor: The incident at the London Aquatics Centre on 23 March was significant. There has been a police investigation which will be passed to the London Borough of Newham’s (LBN) Environmental Health Team who are undertaking a full investigation of the incident. LLDC will also carry out a two-stage review – first, to learn any internal lessons and, secondly, with operators and partners to learn the lessons from the LBN review. LLDC will look to publish the information that it can but there may be legal and commercial reasons why it is not possible to publish the investigation’s findings in full at this present time. LLDC, its partners and operators take health and safety very seriously and, in the interim, an enhanced set of procedures for deliveries has been agreed and implemented following initial review by the LBN Environmental Health Team.

GLA Map of London’s Markets

Hina Bokhari: Will you commit to ensuring that the map of London’s markets (https://apps.london.gov.uk/street-markets) is regularly updated?

The Mayor: The street market mapping tool. was developed in 2017 as part of my street and covered markets programme (2022/1224), creating the first searchable map of all London street markets. Market operators, traders or members of the public can suggest new markets via integrated tools to ensure that the map reflects an up to date London markets scene. GLA officers are currently taking stock to optimise the functionality of the map and will continue to work with the markets sector to ensure that it remains a useful resource for London.

Volunteer Police Cadets

Susan Hall: For each financial year 2018/19, 2019/20 2020/21 and 2021/22 what is the number of Volunteer Police Cadets in the Met?

The Mayor: The table below shows the average number of Volunteer Police Cadets (VPC) in each of the last four financial years.
Financial Year (FY)
Average number of VPC
2018/19
4720
2019/20
4143
2020/21
4013
2021/22
3493
The wider effects of the pandemic and successive lockdowns have significantly impacted the VPC programme. Cadet meetings and events had to move online, leading to a reduction in numbers as the activities offered were much more limited.
As the full range of VPC activities has resumed, numbers of cadets are now rising again.

Wide Variation in Substance and Quality of TfL’s Covid-19 “Death and Service” Data

Keith Prince: Am I correct to conclude from your failure to present uniform data formats and/or data for the same information I have requested 6 times since July 2020 that TfL (a) has never had a grasp of the scale or the breadth of the problem of its contracted workers dying from Covid-19 and (b) has a policy of apparently obstructing public scrutiny on this matter?

The Mayor: The deaths in service of any transport workers are treated with the utmost importance and sensitivity, every death in service is taken very seriously by Transport for London (TfL). TfL has worked alongside third-party colleagues to have a robust way of recording deaths in service and support has also been in place for colleagues at our third-party operators.
A uniform breakdown of the data held is provided in response to MQ2022/1632.

Socially Integrated Spaces in London

Hina Bokhari: In the 2018 Economic Development Strategy for London, you put forward proposals to enable the creation of more socially integrated places, which would increase opportunities for Londoners to have positive shared experiences. How many such places have been created and what measurable impact they achieved?

The Mayor: Through my Good Growth Fund programme, I have supported 55 projects which are creating more socially integrated spaces. While several are still in delivery, to date these projects have resulted in almost 30,000 square metres of new and improved public realm for Londoners, have enabled more than 70,000 Londoners to participate in projects and have resulted in more than 7,000 opportunities for volunteers.
My High Streets for All Challenge is supporting local partnerships to promote social integration and active citizenship by strengthening local collaboration and securing vital social, civic and cultural infrastructure. As an important counterpart to creating new spaces, my Culture & Community Spaces at Risk programme works to protect spaces loved and cherished by all Londoners, including community centres and youth clubs.
Last year, I launched my Connective Social Infrastructure report, which focuses on what can be done to make social infrastructure more effective in supporting social integration.

Supporting Londoners to Switch out of Cars

Emma Best: You have acknowledged that it would be very difficult for people to switch out of cars for a lot of journeys. How are you making sure your policies support them?

The Mayor: Since I became Mayor, London’s strategic cycling network has grown from 90km to 345km, with one in five Londoners now living within 400m of a cycleway. Cycle parking has also increased including over 3,000 spaces delivered in 2020 and 2021 in a range of locations including town centres, rail stations and residential hangars.
The Safer Junctions programme has improved 43 dangerous junctions in London and nearly half of the capital’s roads now operate on a 20mph speed limit. I have converted 85km of bus lanes to operate 24/7 and invested £59m in bus priority to ensure buses are a fast and reliable option.
This year, the Elizabeth Line will transformconnectivity, as well as an extension of the London Overground network to Barking Riverside. I have overseen the opening of the Northern Line extension and kept fares frozen from my election in 2016 until March 2021, only increasing them when I had no choicedue to conditions imposed by Government in Transport for London (TfL) funding deals.
During the pandemic, I worked with boroughs to deliver over 100 Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and over 400 School Streets. These are all measures designed to support people switching out of their cars and instead walking, cycling, or using public transport.
In the meantime, to ensure continued investment in alternatives to car usage, it is vital that TfL secures a long-term funding deal with government.

Reprimands for Breaking Face Covering Rules on Transport for London (1)

Krupesh Hirani: In the year to 24 February 2022, when it was announced that wearing face coverings on Transport for London (TfL) services is no longer a condition of carriage, can you break down how many passengers were reprimanded for breaking the rules by:
Being denied access to TfL services


Being asked to leave TfL services


Being issued with a fine?

The Mayor: The safety of Transport for London’s (TfL’s) customers and staff is always its top priority. A range of measures helped to ensure customers can travel safely and confidently on TfL’s servicesduring the pandemic, including requiring face coverings as a condition of carriage both before and after they were a legal requirement, and continuing to strongly encourage them today.
National regulations regarding the mandatory use of face coverings on public transport were in place from Monday 4 July 2020 and were removed on Sunday 19 July 2021. From 19 July 2021 to 29 November 2021, the requirement to wear a face covering on TfL’s public transport services and stations, unless exempt, was retained as a TfL condition of carriage. TfL did not have the power to issue Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) or prosecute offenders for non-compliance during this time.
National face covering regulations were reintroduced on 30 November 2021 and were removed on 27 January 2022. In line with the Government decision to lift covid restrictions on 27 January 2022, which removed legal powers for TfL and the police to robustly enforce the regulations on the network, TfL decided to remove the requirement from its conditions of carriage from 24 February 2022.
Between 24 February 2021, and 27 January 2022 TfL prevented 7,283 people from travelling, directed 2,325 people to leave the network, and issued 3,996 FPNs for not complying with the requirement to wear a face covering. Between 27 January 2022 and 24 February 2022, TfL did not record face covering compliance activity.

Economic Recovery Implementation Plan (5)

Elly Baker: What externally led redevelopment and upgrade projects that are not yet live are TfL and the GLA engaging with to ensure they deliver good growth and positive transport outcomes?

The Mayor: There are a number of major network extension schemes under development including: an extension of the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead; a Bus Rapid Transit scheme between Woolwich, Thamesmead and Abbey Wood; an extension of the Overground network between Hounslow, Old Oak Common and Brent Cross/Cricklewood; the Bakerloo Line Extension from Elephant & Castle to Lewisham; and Crossrail 2. Each of these involve working with relevant Local Authorities, subregional partnerships, landowners, developers, business groups and central Government bodies as well as consultation with community groups and the public.
Transport for London (TfL) is working with partners to develop several station capacity upgrades and step free access schemes that support place-based regeneration and accessibility improvements, for example at Elephant and Castle, Leyton and Colindale, and continue to progress the Government Housing Infrastructure Fund projects on the DLR and East London line.
TfL and the Greater London Authority (GLA) are also working with borough partners on opportunities to support their bids for the Levelling Up Fund. Transport is one of three themes for the fund, with the next submission date in July.
In relation to interchanges, TfL is also working with the GLA family and boroughs to make the case for improvements at Euston, Victoria, Liverpool Street,Stratford, Walthamstow, North Acton and Willesden Junction stations.

ULEZ Expansion (2)

Leonie Cooper: Could you update on known poor air quality hotspots that lie outside the North and South Circular Roads?

The Mayor: The London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory provides pollution concentrations data across London. The future years concentration projections are needed to enable us to identify any remaining hotspots. GLA officers are now working on the projections for future years. This will be published later this year.
We know that air quality in outer London has improved more slowly than in central and inner London. A recent report by Imperial College London found that the greatest number of deaths attributable to air pollution were in outer London boroughs. Additional action must be taken, which is why this month I will be launching a consultation on expanding the Ultra Low Emission Zone to cover all Greater London.

London Tourism Income

Neil Garratt: It was reported that the capital’s economy lost £7.4bn normally generated by international tourists in 2020. How much of this do you hope to recoup through your international tourism campaign?

The Mayor: Marketing campaigns are an effective lever to drive additional economic value to the economy, as we saw with my £6m domestic Let’s Do London campaign, which generated an additional £81m for London’s economy.
My international Let’s Do London campaign aims to help speed up London’s tourism recovery by attracting additional visitors and expenditure. It will be measured by London & Partners (L&P) against total visitor value to the London economy based on additional international visitor spend. L&P will also calculate the return on investment for the Let’s Do London international campaign with an expectation of 10:1.

Bicycle Theft in London

Caroline Pidgeon: Data from the Home Office shows that over 94% of bicycle theft cases in London were unsolved by the Met in 2021, the second worst record of any police service in the country. Given the importance of encouraging active travel and making London a welcoming place for cyclists, how are you working with the Met, TfL and others to tackle this issue?

The Mayor: Both the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and I recognise the harm that bicycle theft causes, and we take this issue very seriously.
In order to tackle bicycle theft the MPS has extended its MetTrace programme from a focus on burglary, to include bicycle theft. Local neighbourhood teams work with communities, providing advice including encouraging property marking.
MPS Designing Out Crime Officers (DOCOs),as subject matter experts, are also providing advice on cycle security and locking standards and have produced advice for use in local and London wide crime prevention campaigns. DOCOs are implementing Safer Parking principles in their work with Transport for London (TFL) to improve sustainability across the transport network. They support my “Vision Zero” initiative which aims to provide a secure transport infrastructure, improved lighting and safety on roads and cycle paths together with increasing secure storage facilities for bicycles and mopeds.
The MPS also provide practical advice on their website about protecting bicycles including urging anyone who owns a bicycle to get it registered at BikeRegister or Immobilise. This helps officers return stolen property to its rightful owner, and it also helps to bring prosecutions.

MPS Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship and Degree Holder Entry Programme (2)

Caroline Russell: What is the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) doing to ensure the classroom environments for the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) and Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) do not replicate the “banter” culture that has been identified at some police stations?

The Mayor: All new recruits joining the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) spend their first three days with the Learning & Development (L&D) Team at Hendon. A new engagement programme for these three days was launched in October 2021. This focuses on properly welcoming recruits into the organisation, building connections internally and externally and helping to create an environment where everyone feels that they belong and can thrive from Day 1. Responsibilities in relation to Professional Standards and wider links to trust and confidence are central to the programme, and the Deputy Commissioner addresses all recruits on these matters.
The formation of the new L&D HQ in early 2021 has ensured that a robust and consistent approach to professional standards has been adopted. This ensures that probationary Constables are aware of the standards that are expected of them not only whilst in initial training, but throughout their careers within the MPS. This work has not only focused on recruits, but within the entire L&D command.
To ensure oversight of all allegations of misconduct and drive proactive activities to ensure standards are maintained and improved, a monthly L&D Professional Standards Board chaired by the Commander L&D with representatives across L&D at Superintendent rank was created in October 2021. The Directorate of Professional Standards (DPS) is represented at the board to ensure a consistent and corporate approach.
To maintain the constant ‘hands on’ supervision of recruits, the MPS have a dedicated Inspector at each site supporting the work of Sergeants. A Chief Inspector oversees this work to underline the commitment to driving the highest professional standards. L&D also run a quarterly Continuing Professional Development (CPD) event for Babcock and Higher Education Institution (HEI) lecturing staff to ensure that everyone involved in teaching recruits is fully in step with MPS standards and expected behaviour.

Increased Cyber Security Threat

Tony Devenish: Further to my question 2022/0880 which remains unanwered since Februrary, and with increasing threats to global cyber security, please can you set out how you are working with LCCI Smarter Cities to support businesses and improve cyber security across London?

The Mayor: The Chief Digital Officer liaises with various bodies on cyber security. The NCSC and Action Fraud are national bodies which undertake comprehensive awareness campaigns, support and advice for businesses and others. The CDOs current focus is on public sector cyber resilience, in the wake of recent cyber-attacks. The CDO welcomes London bodies such as the LCCI, taking an active role and he is meeting with them in May 2022 to discuss digital transformation and smart cities, of which cyber security is a key issue.

Weapon scanning technology

Emma Best: Do you think weapon scanning technology would be a useful tool within London, especially on the TfL network?

The Mayor: I support the development of technologies which aim to reduce knife crime and make London safer. However, there are currently challenges to deploying weapon scanning technology for mass public transport networks. Routine scanning is impractical for the way that services are operated in London and how customers expect to be able to turn up and travel without delay. There may also be ethical and legal issues with routine scanning. In addition, false positives are common which would require customers to be checked by transport staff or officers before boarding.
As set out in my answer to 2021/4489, Transport for London (TfL) hosted the trial of weapon scanning technology at Stratford station by the British Transport Police and Home Office in 2019. My office assisted with the review of the trial, including its appropriateness for deployment in a mass public transport environment, and there has been no further deployment of the technology since then.
Despite these challenges with routine scanning, the MPS and BTP regularly use others forms of weapon scanning technology such as knife arches and knife wands as part of targeted police operations to deal with serious violence and keep weapons off the network.

Impact of Long Covid

Emma Best: What are you doing to assess and manage the impacts of long Covid on London’s economy?

The Mayor: I am concerned for Londoners suffering from ‘long Covid’ and the effects it could have on the economy. According to ONS research, a significant proportion of adults who experience long Covid report that it negatively affects their work. Although the latest data suggest that the economic inactivity rate in London has increased less than the UK average since the start of the pandemic, my officers continue to monitor these trends closely.
Via the London Business Hub, we have provided guidance for small businesses in managing the impact of Long Covid in the workplace. In my role as Chair of the London Health Board, I am working with partners to help people’s recovery and reduce its impact on people’s employment. This includes the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities and NHS, who are monitoring the impact of long Covid on Londoners’ health, and providing 17 specialist assessment services across London.

Cost of Workspace

Tony Devenish: What action are you taking to improve the affordability of workspace across London?

The Mayor: I have supported affordable creative workspace through direct funding, including new affordable studios at Second Floor Studios in Deptford, Studio Voltaire in Clapham and Bow Arts Trust at Thamesmead. It is afforded protection through the London Plan and supported through my growing Creative Enterprise Zones programme, with seven zones currently in place across eight London boroughs. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, I funded many studios at risk due through my Culture at Risk Business Support Fund. This provided £1.6m to 82 providers, supporting more than 11,500 artists.
I have also co-founded the Creative Land Trust with Arts Council England and Bloomberg Philanthropies. The Trust will secure buildings permanently for affordable creative workspace, helping to stabilise an ecosystem in a fast-paced market.
In the autumn, I will launch an initiative that will provide free advice, guidance and support to operators of flexible, affordable workspaces to ensure their spaces maximise their provision for start ups and SMEs.

Digital Exclusion

Tony Devenish: How will you be working with Just Space to improve Digital Exclusion in London and what will you take from their Policy 11 going forward?

The Mayor: I have funded the London Office for Technology and Innovation with £1.362m to lead on the Digital Inclusion Innovation Programme as part of my Digital Access for All mission. Just Space will be able to contribute through several design workshops, hosted by LOTI, in coming months to design a new approach which will enable citizens to access the support they need across the city.
In Feb 2021, I launched the Digital Exclusion Taskforce chaired by my Chief Digital Officer. I note that HEAR Equality and Human Rights Network are a member of the taskforce and also a contributor to Policy 11 of the Just Space Community led recovery plan. My Chief Digital Officer is in regular contact with HEAR Equality and Human Rights Network and will also discuss this further with his contacts.

Anchor Institutions Network (1)

Tony Devenish: How will you ensure the Anchor Institutions Network meets your commitment to spend 30% of annual procurement on London's small businesses? Please provide an estimate of how much in millions this will constitute for the organisations involved and what definition of small business you will be using for this policy?

The Mayor: In March, a number of the largest London Anchor Institution Charter signatories committed to spend more than £1.3bn over five years on contracts with London’s small businesses. The GLA pledged 30% of annual third-party spending with London-based micro and small businesses, charities, and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs), equating to £35.4m in 2022/23 alone.
The Network’s procurement working group will report formal updates on progress, share best practice and define challenges and opportunities.
The pledge seeks to help businesses who:

Crossrail Opening Date

Andrew Boff: When were you made aware of the Crossrail opening date?

The Mayor: The Commissioner has had a long-held target to open the Elizabeth line during the first half of 2022. On Tuesday 3 May, as part of a series of regular meetings that I hold with him and his team, he updated me on progress with the scheme. He explained that he was due to make a final go/no-go decision later that day on whether the Elizabeth line would be ready to start passenger service on 24 May. Later in the day on 3 May, the Commissioner received the final assurances needed from his senior team and project partners and concluded that the line would open on 24 May. I was informed of his decision shortly afterwards.

Anchor Institutions Network (2)

Tony Devenish: You recently announced that the Anchor Institutions’ Network has pledged to spend up to 30 per cent of their annual procurement on small businesses based in the capital. What percentage of these businesses will be based in each London borough and what percentage will be from inner and outer London?

The Mayor: In March, a number of the largest London Anchor Institution Charter signatories committed to spend more than £1.3bn over five years on contracts with London’s small businesses. The GLA pledged 30% of annual third-party spending with London-based micro and small businesses, charities, and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs), equating to £35.4m in 2022/23 alone.
This announcement represents a target that the GLA and other Anchor members will work proactively and collaboratively to deliver. A number of areas have been identified for shared-working, including open workshops on becoming a supplier to public sector bodies, and ringfencing contracts for small businesses.
Because of the London wide nature of the institutions who have signed up to the charter, no ringfencing of contracts based by borough definitions or inner or outer London is planned, though signatories all commit to leverage their influence in the local communities in which they work.

Boiler Upgrade Scheme

Tony Devenish: How will you encourage Londoners to take up the Government’s boiler upgrade scheme which gives financial help to people to switch to low carbon heating systems?

The Mayor: To tackle the climate emergency, I have set an ambitious target for London to be net zero carbon by 2030. The pathway to this requires 2.2 million heat pumps to be in operation in London by the end of the decade. The GLA’s £40m Warmer Homes programme is now open to applications and provides support to Londoners in fuel poverty to make their homes warmer and more fuel efficient - including through the insultation of heat pumps. We are working with boroughs to ensure that these funds are targeted to the most vulnerable.
Applicants for this scheme, and for my wider retrofit programmes, will be signposted to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme as appropriate, which is open to grant applications and payments on 23rd May 2022. Those ineligible for help through Warmer Homes will also have their eligibility checked for other funding possibilities and be signposted accordingly. This includes information about the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, ECO funding and the GLA’s own ‘able to pay’ schemes.

Tourism Trip to America Achievements

Neil Garratt: What were the achievements of your 5 day trip to the US to promote tourism to London?

The Mayor: I travelled to New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Los Angeles to strengthen economic and cultural ties between London and the United States, drive investment and launch my new £10m Let’s Do London international tourism campaign.
Promoting tourism was one key aspect of my trip to the US to bang the drum for London. My launch of the international tourism campaign in New York will help to extend the campaign’s reach in the US which is the number one market for international visitor spend in London. The campaign will increase the number of American visitors to London and London & Partners will calculate this as well as the additional visitor spend in the capital.
London & Partners will share the latest campaign reach figures as they are received.
I also led a trade mission of female founders participating in the BeyondHERizons programme to Silicon Valley to further links between London’s flourishing tech sector and companies in the Bay Area, as well as meeting with business leaders and prospective investors in London, senior politicians and city leaders to discuss key shared issues.

Digital Inclusion Strategy

Hina Bokhari: What progress have you made on developing a digital inclusion strategy to help all Londoners benefit from digital technology?

The Mayor: In 2018 I launched the Smarter London Together Roadmap, which set out my vision for London to be the smartest city in the world and identified the importance of creating new approaches to improve digital inclusion.
Bridging the digital divide is a complex challenge, covering basic skills, connectivity, access to a device and affordability heightened by the cost-of-living crisis. The Mayor and London Councils recognise the importance of connectivity for Londoners and identified Digital Access for All as one of nine London Recovery Programme missions. The objective of the mission is to ensure that ‘Every Londoner has access to good connectivity, basic digital skills and the device or support they need to be online by 2025.’
My Chief Digital Officer is working closely with the London Office for Technology and Innovation (LOTI) to tackle digital exclusion for all Londoners . Funded by the GLA, LOTI is identifying a body of evidence and tested solutions to tackle the issue of digital exclusion and has completed a number of projects, including using data insights to map digital exclusion to help target services. LOTI is currently developing a project with the Goods Things Foundation to provide a digital inclusion service to connect digitally excluded Londoners to an essential device, data or digital skills.

Quantum Technologies

Tony Devenish: I chaired a Westminster E Forum Conference in March on the next steps for quantum technologies. Funding has doubled in the last 12 months and employment is up 60%. What are you and the Deputy Mayor for Business doing to highlight this exciting good news story of business in a high growth sector, amongst Universities?

The Mayor: Earlier this year my Chief Digital Officer opened the Quantum Motion Lab: a great example of world-leading talent, investment and advanced technology coming into London and the UK.
Quantum computing represents one of the most exciting emerging technologies for London. In the future, we hope that the power of quantum computing will be able to solve problems faced in London and elsewhere, such as solutions to pollution, air quality and transport congestion issues.
The GLA will continue to work with stakeholders across academia and business to understand the growth of this technology and the applications for improving the lives of Londoners.

London Climate Finance Facility (3)

Zack Polanski: Will you exclude incineration projects from using your London Climate Finance Facility?

The Mayor: I have set out the priority areas for my London Climate Finance Facility. It will support low carbon projects in the areas of electric vehicle infrastructure, retrofitting of social housing and public buildings, and clean local energy projects such as solar PV and district heating networks.
I have been clear that no new incineration capacity is needed to manage London’s non-recyclable waste. There is no reason for waste incineration plants to form part of the investment strategy for the London Climate Finance Facility.

Gig Economy Charter (1)

Andrew Boff: Do you still intend to have a "charter of best practice for on-demand workers" in place by the end of 2022 and if so, when do you plan to consult on this initiative?

The Mayor: Yes. Work is progressing to develop a charter for good work in the gig, on-demand and platform economy for publication this year. My Economic Fairness team recently completed a phase of research and engagement with workers, platforms, trade unions, specialist employment policy organisations and academics with expertise in gig-work to understand the challenges and needs of workers in more depth.
A draft charter is currently being scoped to which all interested parties will be invited to submit a response in Summer 2022.

Loss of London public toilets (2)

Caroline Russell: Thank you for your answer to my question 2021/4822 on the loss of public toilets in London. Could you provide examples of how London Policy Plan S6 is now working to provide free, publicly accessible toilets for a range of users in the city?

The Mayor: Public toilets should be integral to the design of good-quality, large-scale, publicly accessible schemes – such as shopping centres, leisure centres or other large community spaces.
My London Plan policy (S6 Public toilets) ensures this is considered early on in the planning process and secured appropriately as part of any such permission. Through this policy, my team has secured public toilets on the following sites -
Thameside West
Bishopsgate Goodsyard
5 Kingdom Street
Data on the loss or gain of public toilets is not monitored in planning applications. My officers will look at how we might monitor information on public toilets for referable schemes in the future.

Tax Increment Financing (1)

Sakina Sheikh: How many times has the GLA used Tax Increment Financing since its inception?

The Mayor: The GLA has only used Tax Increment Financing (TIF) formally once to date. TIF is being used to finance the GLA’s £1 billion contribution to the costs of the Northern Line extension to Battersea Power Station and Nine Elms - which opened in September 2021. The GLA has borrowed this sum – including a large proportion from the European Investment bank – and will finance and repay this using the ring-fenced business rates growth and the local developer contributions – collected within the local designated area (equivalent to an enterprise zone) established by Parliament – between 2016 and 2041. Should the GLA be unable to repay its debt by 2041 we would be able to exercise an option to extend the period of the designation of the ring fencing of the retention of all business rates growth locally – for a further five years.
The GLA and the London borough of Newham are able to retain 100% of the business rates growth between 2013 and 2038 locally to fund their investment plans for the Royal Docks enterprise zone. The GLA is taking out borrowing to fund this work and therefore this will in effect become a second TIF scheme.
The GLA has also borrowed £4.5 billion to finance its contribution towards the Crossrail project. This is being financed and repaid using Crossrail business rate supplement (BRS) revenues and Mayoral Community Infrastructure levy (MCIL) up to 2041 and 2043 respectively. As a result of the opening of the line – and indeed on the expectation of it - additional developments will be built and rateable values may rise leading to increased annual BRS and one off MCIL revenues. So while this is not explicitly a TIF scheme Crossrail is expected to deliver additional economic growth and investment which will assist in repaying the c£4.5bn of debt the GLA has taken out to fund it.

Fast food outlets

Tony Devenish: According to the Sunday Times NED Awards, 20th March, Wol Kolade who claims he was behind TfL's fast food ban also said “as a result of (Guy’s & St Thomas’) Foundation research Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan banned fast food outlets from opening near schools.” Presuming he means Policy E9 part D of the London Plan, how has this policy practically stopped such fast food schemes close to schools? Please be specific re number of schemes.

The Mayor: My advertising restrictions policy, which bans the advertising of foods high in fat, salt and/or sugar across the TfL network, aims to reduce children’s exposure to adverts for unhealthy food. When the ban was implemented, it resulted in the average Londoner buying ‘385 less calories’ - equivalent to one and half chocolate bars - per week.
Separately, my London Plan policy E9 pro-actively aims to minimise the number of hot food takeaways within 400 metres of schools. Not only does this help boroughs to refuse new takeaways, but it will also actively deter applications from coming forward in these areas. Unfortunately, it is not possible to record applications that have not been made due to the policy.

Wider South East Collaboration (4)

Sakina Sheikh: What potential future initiatives are there for working in collaboration with the Wider South East?

The Mayor: A conference is planned for July where the relevant elected councillors from every local authority across London and the South East will be invited. The Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills will attend on my behalf along with staff from the GLA. Initiatives for future collaboration and partnership working will be on the agenda for the conference.
As part of the current research commission on the Thames Estuary Production Corridor, the GLA is developing between 3 and 5 flagship projects across the Estuary which will deliver large scale growth. The selected projects will be supported to be investment ready and poised to fuel local recovery, create jobs and support creative businesses. The GLA will work in collaboration with Creative Estuary, Local authority teams as well as developers and the Thames Estuary Growth Board to make this happen.

Origin of oil and gas products used by the GLA group

Zack Polanski: What proportion of oil and gas products used by the GLA group, including Transport for London (TfL), are sourced from Russia, and what steps have you taken to reduce the use of products from this source?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) does not source any of its gas supply from Russia. However, TfL is aware that tenanted properties have previously been supplied gas and electricity by the Russian majority state-owned company, Gazprom. TfL is not aware of any other supply by that company.
TfL’s oil requirements are procured using the Crown Commercial Service’s ‘National Fuels Framework’. TfL has reviewed this framework and confirmed that none of its suppliers are registered in Russia, have Russian directors, or have Russian subsidiaries within their group.
LLDC uses a small amount of gas for catering purposes only. Our gas provider buys gas from the UK wholesale market and does not depend on gas from Russia.
London Fire Brigade’s (LFB) gas is provided by Corona Energy. The contracts were procured and are managed by LASER on LFB’s behalf. Corona Energy has no trading or any other relationship with Russia. All gas in the UK traded by Total on behalf of LASER will be sourced directly from the UK over the counter market
Please see my answer to MQ/0988

Impact of Restrictions on the 60+ Oyster Photocard and Freedom Pass on TfL Finances

Caroline Pidgeon: With reference to your answer to 2022/0915, what assessment has taken place to determine what measurable impact the ongoing restrictions on free travel before 9:00am for 60+ Oyster Card and Freedom Pass holders have had on TfL’s finances?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) estimates that the restrictions on free travel before 9:00am for 60+ Pass and Freedom Pass holders will increase fares income by an amount in the region of £15m if they are retained for the remainder of this financial year. TfL is currently undertaking a review of the current restrictions.
As you know, the pandemic has taken a huge toll on TfL’s finances and this additional income will help to fund services for all Londoners as the capital recovers from the pandemic, while still providing free bus and rail travel for older Londoners from 9:00am on weekdays and all day on weekends and bank holidays.

Restriction on the 60+ Oyster Photocard and Freedom Pass

Caroline Pidgeon: Please provide a date for when a decision will finally be made regarding lifting the restrictions on travel before 9:00am on the 60+ Oyster photocard and Freedom Pass.

The Mayor: Transport for London is currently undertaking a review of the current restriction on weekday travel before 09:00. This includes an Equality Impact Assessment to understand the impact on those with protected characteristics. It is expected that a decision will be made in Summer.

Universal Credit Cut

Hina Bokhari: What active representations did you make to Government to not force through the £20 cut in universal credit towards the end of 2021?

The Mayor: It was clear that the £20 cut to Universal Credit would plunge some of the poorest Londoners, and many other people across the country, into poverty, with some of the most disadvantaged groups, including lone parents, being hit the hardest.
In September last year we published analysis which showed the impact of the removal of the £20 uplift. More information can be found at: https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/mayoral/mayor-calls-for-universal-credit-uplift-extension.
This is why I called for the Government to extend the £20 Universal Credit uplift before it ceased at the end of September 2021, including in my representations to the Chancellor, and why I will continue to make the case for the Government to do more to support the most vulnerable Londoners and take measures to address the cost of living crisis.

Planning Permission for Solar Panels (1)

Sakina Sheikh: What do you believe the impact will be of Kensington & Chelsea Council removing planning permission requirements for the installation of solar panels on Grade II listed buildings?

The Mayor: The borough has introduced a Local Listed Building Consent Order (LLBCO) which removes the need to apply for listed building consent when installing solar panels on Grade II listed buildings.
It is important to promote environmental improvements and innovation while protecting London's important heritage, and the principle of this approach is very welcome.
I anticipate that such approaches will encourage the installation of more solar panels in the borough, which I support in light of my aim to make London a zero-carbon city.

British Overseas Territories

Nicholas Rogers: Further to my question 2021/4915 which remains unanswered, please can you provide updated figures for the number of citizens of British Overseas Territories currently residing in London? Please break down by territory if possible.

The Mayor: The response to the British Overseas Territories question 2021/4915 has been published and is available here.
The figures in MQ 2021/4915 are from the 2011 census which remain the most up to date until 2021 census results are published later this year

Deaths of London Transport Personnel from Covid-19

Keith Prince: On page 47 of the Safety, Health and Environment Quarterly report 'Quarter 3 2021/22' published on the TfL website, reference is made to “105 members of our workforce who have sadly passed away from COVID-19 as of 27 January 2022”.

Similar to the information you provided in your response to Questions 2020/2533, 2021/0127, 2021/0527, 2021/1967, 2021/1974, 2021/4898 and 2022/0796, please provide me with details of these 105 deaths showing:

1) sex and, if known, ethnicity;

2) date of reported death;

3) name of TfL contractor or TfL division for whom each victim worked;

4) place of work (e.g. train station, bus depot, taxi, PHV); and

5) TfL executive responsible for the transport mode in which each victim worked (e.g. MD Buses, LUL, Taxi and Private Hire, etc).

The Mayor: Sadly, as of the 10 May, a total of 105 colleagues from Transport for London (TfL) and its partner organisations, had passed away in service due to Covid-19 related illness. Every death in service is taken very seriously by TfL. TfL has put in place a range of additional support for families and colleagues where there has been a bereavement.
TfL is unable to provide a line by line account of each death in service due to data protection and out of respect for the family of the deceased. A summary of the information requested has been provided in the spreadsheet attached.
The dates of death and the dates when these were reported vary often with TfL not having visibility over individual death certificates.

The Mayor: 1632 - Deaths of London Transport Personnel from Covid-19.xlsx

Play Spaces

Nicholas Rogers: Following the tragic death in 2015 of a five-year-old girl on a swing in a council playground in Tower Hamlets, for which a court judgement was issued last year, can you please reassure me that all play equipment funded by the GLA, either through housing or other funding, meets the highest possible safety standards?

The Mayor: Thank you for raising this serious issue. The GLA has a role as a funder in regeneration, housing, and infrastructure delivery. We work with partners to prioritise place-making and good growth, and their place-making strategies can include appropriate provision of play space and equipment. Where this is the case City Hall staff liaise with delivery partners to ensure schemes are delivered in line with current safety standards and best practice guidance and are subject to post installation safety inspection.

Wider South East Collaboration (1)

Sakina Sheikh: How are you working with the Wider South East in helping the region to recover from the Covid-19 Pandemic?

The Mayor: On 21 January 2022 my Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills met with elected representatives from South East England Councils, EELGA and London Councils to discuss cooperation and collaboration between the regions.
At a sub-regional level, the GLA is working in collaboration with 18 local authorities across the Thames Estuary, the Thames Estuary Growth Board, Creative Estuary as well as the creative sector to develop the Thames Estuary Production Corridor (TEPC). The TEPC is well positioned to boost employment, skills, growth and recovery - building on the existing cultural infrastructure in the area - generating more investment from public and private sectors, upskilling communities in a time of need and creating long-term, sustainable and equitable growth. This is a world-class ecosystem of creative and cultural production across the Thames Estuary - from film & TV, games and animation, post-production to fashion design and manufacturing, as well as theatre, dance and more.
More widely, it has been agreed that a conference will be held this year bringing together elected councillors from all local authorities in South East England, East of England and London to discuss shared challenges and joint opportunities.

Wider South East Collaboration (2)

Sakina Sheikh: What is the impact of this collaboration with the Wider South East? Have any targets been set for such collaboration?

The Mayor: The collaboration arrangements are at an early stage, so it’s not appropriate to be setting formal targets, but a Wider South East Officers Forum on 4 March was an opportunity to share knowledge and learning on best practice in tackling the issues of climate change and spatial challenges.
In relation to the Thames Estuary Production Corridor (TEPC), while the Estuary already supports over 18,000 creative and cultural production businesses, early research has shown that the TEPC has the potential to create 50,000 jobs and generate £3.7bn for the local economy per annum. The GLA’s research commission has identified over 170 potential sites across the Estuary which have great potential to support cultural production workplaces from large scale sound studios for film production through to small scale workspaces for microbusinesses. My Culture team are working to develop clusters of creative production activity, networked physically and digitally to support sustainable, innovative and environmentally sound practices.

Non-doms in London

Zack Polanski: A report published in April 2022 by Warwick University states that most non-domiciled individuals (‘non-doms’) reside in and around London, representing over a tenth of adults living in Kensington and the Cities of London and Westminster. What are you doing to encourage non-doms to pay UK taxes and thereby contribute to the funding of our public services in London?

The Mayor: The government must do more to crack down on the loopholes which mean some of the richest in our society aren’t paying their fair share of tax, and I welcome any proposals to reform the ‘non-dom’ taxpayer status in the UK to ensure that in future they do.
As an example of a step that could be taken, I have called on the government to make property ownership transparent by drawing up a register of UK properties owned by overseas individuals and companies. A lack of transparency in the legal and beneficial ownership of companies and individuals who own UK property could be aiding offences such as tax evasion andmoney laundering, as well as hiding the assets of those who would come under any possible sanctions regime.

International Tourism Numbers

Neil Garratt: It was reported that pre-pandemic, about 21 million foreign visitors a year would visit London. How long will it take to get back to this figure through your international tourism campaign?

The Mayor: The latest research for London & Partners provided an updated outlook for the capital’s tourism recovery. It suggested that London's leisure travel is expected to return to pre-pandemic 2019 levels in 2024.
Myn iternational Let’s Do London campaign will help speed up visitor recovery by keeping London front of mind for international travellers, attracting additional international visits to London and delivering additional consumer spend.
A marketing campaign alone will not return London visitors to 2019 levels given the scale of the damage done to international tourism by the pandemic. However, it will help to fast-track the recovery and our analysis will show how the campaign has increased travellers’ consideration and intent to visit London.

Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards

Sem Moema: The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) were relaxed under the Coalition Government, meaning landlords were not forced to upgrade their properties and the poor energy efficiency of homes in the PRS is one reason why energy bills are going to soar. Do you believe this relaxation was a mistake?

The Mayor: Improving the energy efficiency and warmth of privately rented properties is critical, especially for Londoners struggling with the cost of living and spiralling energy prices. The standards are currently inadequate to tackle poor energy efficiency due to the limited amount that landlords are required to spend and the many exemptions. Boroughs also lack the capacity and resources to enforce them.
To improve borough enforcement I commissioned training on MEES legislation at the end of 2020 attended by 11 boroughs, and hosted The London Greener and Warmer Buildings Summit this spring. This Summit included discussion on ways to tackle energy efficiency in the private rented sector (PRS) and an agreement to host a a follow up summit focused on the PRS to consider barriers, share learning, think creatively and build partnerships across the sector.
I regularly engage with government and replied to the BEIS consultation on MEES in 2021 raising my concerns on its inadequacies outlined above. Clarity on the MEES trajectory to 2030 is vital, specifically on milestones, the cost cap, and sanctions. A response has not yet been published.

London Anchor Institutions’ Network

Zack Polanski: Could you provide details of any discussions you have had with organisations who could join London Anchor Institutions’ Network, with a view to increasing the network’s positive impact on London’s economic recovery?

The Mayor: There are currently 16 signatories to the London Anchor Institutions’ Charter, representing a cross-section of public sector, higher education, cultural, faith-based, and private sector organisations focused on helping Londoners into good work, empowering young people to flourish, and supporting the capital’s net-zero targets.
Since the launch of the Anchor Institutions Charter in March 2021, my team have been actively engaging similar organisations holding substantial procurement budgets, recruitment resources, and estate management duties; with a view to expanding the Anchors Network.
Additional signatories will contribute their insights, experience and capacity for city-wide thinking to meet our shared challenges for London’s social and economic recovery. The larger the network the greater the impact from developing areas of shared interest, and supporting participation in the network.

Tourism Trip to America London Tech Start-ups

Neil Garratt: How were the 15 founders of London tech start-ups which you visited Silicon Valley with selected? Please also give a breakdown of any mayoral boards and groups they attend and any funds they have given to or received from you/GLA group.

The Mayor: The 15 female founders were selected as part of London & Partners Beyond HERizons initiative. This is an annual programme that helps female founders build the skills, confidence and networks to raise and secure investment and which culminates in a trade mission to Silicon Valley.
The founders were selected via an external industry committee 12 months ago as part of the annual Beyond HERizons cohort application process, which assesses against criteria including business, revenues, growth data for the past 3 years, number of employees and investment.
None of the founders on the mission attend Mayoral Board or groups. The disclosure of funding they have given to or received from the Mayor/GLA Group was not part of the standard criteria assessment or disclosures required for applicants to the Beyond HERizons initiative, but I can confirm no funds were given to or received from me, and none were given to or received by the GLA group to my knowledge

Proportion of cars in London using diesel

Siân Berry: Could you provide your current data on the number of cars used in London by primary source of fuel: a) petrol, b) diesel, c) electricity, and d) other, within each of the following areas: a) Greater London, b) the expanded ULEZ, and c) the central London congestion charge zone.

The Mayor: There is no single dataset that gives this information on a consistent basis for the areas requested. The central London congestion charging zone (CCZ) and the expanded Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) are enforced by ANPR cameras from which a ‘representative’ estimate, in terms of number of vehicles seen, can be given on the basis of a ‘recent average day’. Camera coverage in outer London is much less comprehensive and so a comparable estimate is not available for this area (for either outer London or the whole Greater London Authority area).
The table below shows average daily number of unique vehicles recorded by ANPR cameras during December 2021 in the London CCZ and expanded ULEZ respectively. These are the average number of unique vehicle identities captured by ANPR cameras daily. It is not vehicles resident in those areas.
Please note that in the table, ‘M1 car’ means all passenger cars but excludes private hire vehicles. ‘Diesel’ includes diesel hybrids, whilst LPG (liquified petroleum gas) is included under ‘petrol’. ‘Hybrid’ includes only petrol hybrids. ZEV means zero emissions vehicle.
Daily average unique vehicles December 2021 (rounded)
CCZ
ULEZ
M1 car
Diesel
25,000
165,800
M1 car
Petrol
42,400
467,600
M1 car
Hybrid
6,300
59,800
M1 car
ZEV
3,000
17,700

Redbridge Bus Routes

Keith Prince: With regard to all bus routes that stop at least once in Redbridge, will you provide me with a complete list of all frequency changes and route changes since 1st May 2021?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has implemented two permanent service changes for routes that serve the London Borough of Redbridge since 1 May 2021. This involved a Friday and Saturday night service frequency reduction on route N55, and a Monday to Saturday reduction in frequency of route 549.
A further service change is proposed to route 101, and this is expected to be implemented on 21May 2022. This change will involve a curtailment of the route at Beckton Bus Station and is in response to a review of capacity in the Royal Docks area, arising from conditions set out by Government in the latest round of funding negotiations.
Further details on these service changes are provided in the attached Microsoft Excel spreadsheet file.
Permanent bus changes are all noted on TfL’s webpage : https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/buses/bus-changes

The Mayor: 1617 Redbridge Bus Routes - Attachment.xlsx

Drink driving 2

Keith Prince: How many Met police officers are trained to use drink driving breathalyser kits?

The Mayor: Training on an Electronic Screening Device (ESD) (breathalyser) is part of the MPS’s Recruit Foundation training. Therefore, every officer who has successfully completed their initial phase of learning prior to being posted to a Basic Command Unit is competent in using an ESD to administer a roadside breath test. From January 2021 to date, approximately 2,500 officers have received this training.

Planning Permission for Solar Panels (2)

Sakina Sheikh: Following the decision by Kensington & Chelsea Council to remove the requirement for planning permission to install solar panels on Grade II listed buildings, would you recommend other boroughs also remove this requirement?

The Mayor: For London to become a zero-carbon city it will need to be supplied by a range of clean and renewable energy sources. Therefore, I welcome that Kensington & Chelsea are simplifying the installation of new solar panels. I encourage other boroughs to carefully consider the most effective ways to promote the uptake of solar panels within their area, balancing the need to also preserve their local heritage – and to determine whether this Local Listed Building Consent Order (LLBCO) mechanism, or others (for example specific planning policies, guidance or programmes) will work best in their local context. Where a borough is considering a LLBCO approach, early engagement with Historic England will be important.

The Met’s response to the Daniel Morgan Independent Panel Report - Independent Academic Panel (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: What was the total cost of the Met commissioning the academics, who applied an established theoretical model to the concept of institutional corruption?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) have stated that there was no cost to them. The academics involved volunteered their time.

Drink driving 1

Keith Prince: How many drink driving breathalyser kits does the Met have?

The Mayor: There are typically around 1,800 breathalyser kits in operational use within the MPS. This figure takes into account the number of kits sent back to the manufacturer for servicing.

Havering Bus Routes

Keith Prince: With regard to all bus routes that stop at least once in Havering, will you provide me with a complete list of all frequency changes and route changes since 1st May 2021?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) has implemented one permanent service change for routes serving the London Borough of Havering area since 1 May 2021. Route 648 was withdrawn in September 2021.
Permanent bus changes are all noted on TfL’s webpage : https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/buses/bus-changes

Freedom Pass Usage Before 9am (1)

Keith Prince: Given all other travel restrictions have been lifted, why are Freedom Pass holders still unable to use the Freedom Pass before 9am?

The Mayor: The temporary changes to the Older Person's Freedom Pass and 60+ London Oyster photocard during the morning peak were introduced in June 2020, as a condition of Transport for London’s (TfL) funding agreement with the Government. These changes were designed to help reduce the risk of crowding and aid social distancing at busy times on the network. TfL is currently undertaking a review of the current restrictions, taking into account both the equalities impacts and the foregone income associated with providing free travel before 9am.

Sunlight Guidance in the Housing Design Standards LPG

Sakina Sheikh: The original Good Quality Homes London Plan Guidance (LPG) referred to at least two hours of sunlight in the public realm on 21st March as a baseline measurement. However, there is no longer reference to this in the successor LPG on Housing Design Standards. What was the rationale for removing this and are there any plans to alter the text further?

The Mayor: The draft Good Quality Homes for All Londoners London Plan Guidance (LPG) included a number of standards (including the standard referring to two hours of sunlight in the public realm) that were taken from the BRE guidance called ‘Site layout planning for daylight and sunlight: a guide to good practice’. Following consultation feedback it was considered more appropriate to refer to the whole of the BRE guidance in the LPG than to take only particular extracts from it that would then be out of the context of the BRE guidance as a whole.
The BRE guidance is, and will continue to be, used as the starting point for assessing daylight and sunlight impacts for developments across the country, including London. The draft Housing Design Standards LPG refer to the BRE guidance; the housing design standards which cover daylight and sunlight are in addition to this and not a substitute for the BRE guidance. Responses to the consultation will be considered ahead of final publication.

Privatisation of Tooting Common

Caroline Pidgeon: What representations have you made to Wandsworth Council or the forthcoming public enquiry into Wandsworth’s plans to effectively privatise parts of Tooting Common with a commercial sports facility that will see parts of the common fenced off unless you pay to use it?

The Mayor: My London Plan requires green and open spaces to be protected and enhanced. Policy G3 sets out criteria for the assessment of proposals on Metropolitan Open Land, a designation that applies to Tooting Common. Boroughs, as the Local Planning Authority, are required to consider these policies in their determination of planning applications.
Unless a proposal meets the thresholds for referral to the Mayor, I have no power to intervene. As this case did not meet the threshold for ‘potential strategic importance’ for Metropolitan Open Land (set out by the Mayor of London Order 2008) I have had no direct involvement in this case. However, I engage regularly with Boroughs regarding the importance of enhancing green spaces and support the greening of London through programmes such as Grow Back Greener, Green and Resilient Spaces, and the Rewild London Fund.

MPS Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship and Degree Holder Entry Programme (1)

Caroline Russell: Classroom work is undertaken by individuals training for the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) and the Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP). Could you detail whether this work is assessed by academic supervisors or by current or former Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) officers?

The Mayor: Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) student officers are assessed throughout their training in several ways. The Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) and Degree Holder Entry Programme (DHEP) are designed to blend role specific learning through both classroom and operational exercises.
The classroom-based learning is delivered by education partners and supported by MPS officers where required. Education partners assess all the formative and summative academic assessments. Education partners recruit individuals with both appropriate academic experience/qualifications and current, relevant operational policing knowledge and experience.
The operational assessments are assessed by serving MPS officers to the standards set by the College of Policing (CoP).
Student police officers must pass all components in order to be confirmed in rank as a police officer.